Straight out of a Jules Verne novel, hot air balloons have the power to make us soar - both literally and figuratively. Witnessing the sheer scale of these aircraft, watching them inflate into "giants of the sky", and seeing them ascend to seemingly impossible heights powered only by propane gas - it's enough to make anyone declare themselves a total balloon enthusiast!
But to truly call yourself (or ourselves) balloon experts, we need to understand certain concepts beyond just how they work. Could you tell us how many types of hot air balloons exist? We're here to give you a brief introduction to this fascinating world, and believe us when we say you'll soon be planning your own balloon ride. Who you take with you is your choice...
Types of Hot Air Balloons
First, we need to distinguish between these aircraft based on their flight method:
- Airship balloons have both an engine for propulsion and a gas tank that allows them to maintain roughly the same altitude throughout flight. They can manoeuvre like conventional aircraft.
- Non-airship balloons drift with air currents, having no means of propulsion. They can only ascend and descend. These are the classic balloons with a propane burner, large envelope for hot air, and a basket for passengers.
- Gas balloons. These use gas less dense than air, typically helium or hydrogen (usually helium as it's non-flammable). Does the zeppelin ring any bells? Historically among the most famous gas balloons, but their lifespan was short as they became extremely dangerous when ignited, despite their metal framework.
- Hot air balloons. These use heated air's upward thrust to ascend. Most commonly used for recreational flights and competitions - these are the ones we typically see.
- Hybrid balloons. These combine stored gas with heated air. Known as Roziere balloons, they're uncommon and used for longer journeys to minimise fuel consumption.
We can also categorise balloons by their flight method:
- Powered balloons, which we previously described as airship balloons.
- Unpowered balloons, divided into free flight or tethered balloons. The former operate via density differences between the balloon and outside air (as hot air rises), typically using propane or helium. Tethered balloons function similarly but remain anchored to the ground with three fixed ropes, commonly used at balloon festivals.
For the perfect introduction to ballooning expertise, your first step should be taking a hot air balloon ride over the most picturesque location you can imagine. Segovia? Granada? Monserrat? Fortunately in Spain we're surrounded by cities and monuments that become even more spectacular from above. If you want to take a balloon flight, just click here.
